'Akulikuli is from the carpet-weed family and is a low growing, fleshy, mat-forming shrub. This charateristicThe bright red stems grow 2-3 feet with green tiny 1" spike-shaped leaves. The purplish five petaled flowers that look like stars are used to make lei. The leaves contain a salty juice and is perhaps why the plant is also referred to as pickleweed.

'Akulikuli grows well in coastal habitats such as wetlands and mud flats along fresh, brackish and salt water bodies. It has been used in phytoremediation (the use of plants to absorb contaminated water through their roots) to reduce the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in contaminated waters. Hawaiian legend mentions an island covered in akulikuli that is one of the twelve hidden islands of Kane.